Thermostatic control led thermal module

ABSTRACT

A thermostatic control LED thermal module includes at least one fan, a heat dissipation unit, a sensing unit and a controller. One side of the heat dissipation unit is mated with the fan, while the other side of the heat dissipation unit is attached to an LED unit. The sensing unit is electrically connected to the LED unit for detecting the temperature of the LED unit and generating a sensing signal. The controller is electrically connected to the fan and the sensing unit. According to the received sensing signal, the controller operates and processes to generate a control signal to control rotational speed of the fan so as to achieve an excellent heat dissipation effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a thermostatic control LED thermal module, and more particularly to a thermostatic control LED thermal module having excellent heat dissipation effect.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, various green products meeting the requirements of energy saving and carbon reduction have been more and more respected. Following the rapid advance of manufacturing technique of light-emitting diode (hereinafter abbreviated as LED), various LED products have been widely applied in various fields as illumination devices.

When LED emits light, LED also generates high heat. The heat must be efficiently dissipated. Otherwise, the heat will locally accumulate where the light-emitting component is positioned to cause rise of temperature. This will affect the normal operation of some components of the product or even the entire product and shorten the lifetime of the product. To solve this problem, various LED thermal modules have been developed for providing better heat dissipation effect for LED.

Please refer to FIGS. 1A and 1B, which show a conventional LED thermal module. The LED thermal module includes a heat sink 10 composed of multiple radiating fins, a fan 12 and a latch means 13 positioned on an outer side of the heat sink 10. The heat sink 10 has a heat absorption section 101, a heat dissipation section 102 and multiple retainer sections 103. The heat absorption section 101 is attached to an LED unit 15. The heat dissipation section 102 is mated with the fan 12. The fan 12 serves to forcedly dissipate the heat of the heat dissipation section 102 of the heat sink 10.

The retainer sections 103 are disposed on four corners of the heat sink 10. Each retainer section 103 is formed with a through hole 1031. The fan 12 is formed with multiple perforations 121 in alignment with the through holes 1031 respectively. Multiple threaded fastening members 16 are passed through the perforations 121 and the through holes 1031 to connect the heat sink 10 with the fan 12 to form the LED thermal module.

When the LED unit 15 emits light and generates heat, the heat absorption section 101 of the heat sink 10 absorbs the heat and conducts the heat to the heat dissipation section 102. The heat dissipation section 102 will spread the heat by way of radiation. In addition, the fan 12 will create airflow to forcedly dissipate the heat of the heat dissipation section 102 to achieve heat dissipation effect.

However, the conventional LED thermal module can hardly provide effective heat dissipation effect. This is because the fan 12 can only operate at a constant rotational speed to create airflow with constant wind intensity. Accordingly, the wind intensity of the fan 12 cannot be varied with the change (rise) of the temperature of the LED unit 15. As a result, in case the LED unit 15 generates very high heat after a long period of operation, the fan 12 can hardly provide sufficient wind intensity to effectively forcedly dissipate the heat of the heat sink 10. Under such circumstance, the lifetime of the LED unit 15 will be shortened and the luminous efficiency of the LED unit 15 will be lowered. In some more serious cases, the LED unit 15 will even damage (burn out) due to overheating.

Moreover, the conventional fan 12 can only provide constant wind intensity for the LED unit 15. Therefore, it is impossible to apply the LED thermal module to another LED unit with different luminous power.

According to the above, the conventional LED thermal module has the following shortcomings:

-   -   1. The conventional LED thermal module has poor heat dissipation         effect.     -   2. The conventional LED thermal module cannot provide         thermostatic effect for the LED unit.     -   3. It is impossible to apply the conventional LED thermal module         to another LED unit with different luminous power.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a thermostatic control LED thermal module having excellent heat dissipation effect.

A further object of the present invention is to provide the above thermostatic control LED thermal module, which is able to provide thermostatic effect for LED unit.

A further object of the present invention is to provide the above thermostatic control LED thermal module, which is applicable to various LED units with different powers to provide corresponding wind intensity for dissipating the heat.

To achieve the above and other objects, the thermostatic control LED thermal module of the present invention includes at least one fan, a heat dissipation unit, a sensing unit and a controller. The heat dissipation unit has a heat absorption section and a heat dissipation section. The heat absorption section is attached to an LED unit. The heat dissipation section is mated with the fan. The sensing unit is disposed on the heat dissipation section and electrically connected to the LED unit for detecting the temperature of the LED unit and generating a sensing signal and transmitting the sensing signal to the controller.

The controller is disposed on one side of the heat dissipation unit and electrically connected to the fan and the sensing unit. According to received sensing signal, the controller operates and processes to generate a control signal to control the rotational speed of the fan.

The thermostatic control LED thermal module of the present invention has excellent heat dissipation effect. In addition, the thermostatic control LED thermal module of the present invention is able to provide thermostatic effect for the LED unit. Also, the thermostatic control LED thermal module of the present invention is applicable to various LED units with different powers to provide corresponding wind intensity for dissipating the heat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a perspective assembled view of a conventional LED thermal module;

FIG. 1B is a perspective assembled view of the conventional LED thermal module, seen from another angle;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is another perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the present invention, seen from another angle;

FIG. 5 is a perspective assembled view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is another perspective assembled view of the second embodiment of the present invention, seen from another angle; and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is another perspective assembled view of the first embodiment of the present invention, seen from another angle. According to the first embodiment, the thermostatic control LED thermal module of the present invention includes at least one fan 20, a heat dissipation unit 22, a sensing unit 23 and a controller 25. The heat dissipation unit 22 is an extruded aluminum heat sink or a radiating fin assembly. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation unit 22 is, but not limited to, an extruded aluminum heat sink for illustration purposes only.

The heat dissipation unit 22 has a heat absorption section 221 and a heat dissipation section 222. The heat absorption section 221 is attached to an LED unit 26 for absorbing the heat generated by the LED unit 26 and conducting the heat to the heat dissipation section 222 to dissipate the heat. The heat dissipation section 222 is mated with the fan 20. The fan 20 serves to create airflow to forcedly dissipate the heat of the heat dissipation section 222. The LED unit 26 includes multiple LEDs 261.

Please again refer to FIGS. 2 and 3. The sensing unit 23 is, but not limited to, a thermistor. Alternatively, the sensing unit 23 can be a thermoelectric couple or a thermal chip. In practice, the sensing unit 23 serves to detect (or sense) the temperature of the LED unit 26.

The sensing unit 23 is disposed on the heat dissipation section 222 and electrically connected to the LED unit 26 for detecting the temperature of the LED unit 26 and generating a sensing signal and transmitting the sensing signal to the controller 25. The controller 25 is disposed on one side of the heat dissipation unit 22 and preferably on the heat dissipation section 222 in adjacency to the fan 20.

The controller 25 is electrically connected to the fan 20 and the sensing unit 23. According to the received sensing signal, the controller 25 operates and processes to generate a control signal to control the rotational speed of the fan 20. That is, according to the received sensing signal, the controller 25 obtains the current temperature of the LED unit 26 and operates and processes to transmit the control signal to control and adjust the rotational speed of the fan 20. Accordingly, the fan 20 can real-time adjust the wind intensity, (for example, increase or decrease the wind intensity) in accordance with the temperature change, (for example, rise or drop of the temperature) of the LED unit 26. Therefore, an excellent heat dissipation effect is achievable for the LED unit 26.

In this embodiment, the controller 25 serves to control and keep the temperature of the LED unit 26 constant. That is, after receiving the sensing signal, the controller 25 will compare the sensing signal with a preset temperature range, (for example, 84˜86 degrees) and operate. In case the detected temperature of the LED unit 26 is higher than 86 degrees, the controller 25 transmits a control signal to control and adjust the fan 20 to operate at a high rotational speed. Under such circumstance, the wind intensity is increased to quickly forcedly dissipate the heat of the heat dissipation section 222. Accordingly, the heat of the LED unit 26 is quickly conducted to the heat dissipation section 222 with lower temperature, whereby the temperature of the LED unit 26 can be quickly lowered to be within the preset temperature range to achieve a thermostatic effect.

In practice, a user can previously design the controller 25 in accordance with the power of the LED unit 26 for controlling the wind intensity of the fan 20 so as to keep the temperature of the LED unit 26 within the desired temperature range.

Please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4. When LED unit 26 generates heat, the heat absorption section 221 of the heat dissipation unit 22 will absorb the heat and conduct the heat to the heat dissipation section 222. The heat dissipation section 222 will dissipate the heat by means of heat exchange between the heat dissipation section 222 and the ambient air. In the meantime, the sensing unit 23 continuously detects the temperature of the LED unit 26 and transmits the sensing signal to the controller 25. According to the received sensing signal, the controller 25 operates and processes to generate a control signal and transmit the control signal to the fan 20 so as to control the fan 20 to provide corresponding wind intensity for forcedly dissipate the heat of the heat dissipation section 222. Accordingly, an excellent heat dissipation effect and thermostatic effect are achieved.

Please now refer to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 5 is a perspective assembled view of a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is another perspective assembled view of the second embodiment of the present invention, seen from another angle. The second embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment in structure and connection relationship between the components and function and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a support section 27 is disposed between the heat dissipation unit 22 and the fan 20. One side of the support section 27 is fixedly inserted with the heat dissipation section 222. The fan 20 is mated with the other side of the support section 27. The controller 25 and the sensing unit 23 are arranged on the other side of the support section 27.

The support section 27 has multiple support members 271. Each two adjacent support members 271 define therebetween a flow way 273 for guiding the airflow of the fan 20 to the heat dissipation section 222 to forcedly dissipate the heat of the heat dissipation section 222.

Please now refer to FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is substantially identical to the first embodiment in structure and connection relationship between the components and function and thus will not be repeatedly described hereinafter. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the thermostatic control LED thermal module further includes a power supply unit 28, which is electrically connected to the controller 25 and the fan 20. The controller 25 serves to generate another control signal and transmit the control signal to the power supply unit 28 for powering on or powering off the fan 20. That is, when the controller 25 compares the temperature of the LED unit 26 with the preset temperature range and finds that the temperature of the LED unit 26 is lowered than the temperature range, the controller 25 will generate another control signal and transmit the control signal to the power supply unit 28 to power off the fan 20 and stop the fan 20 from operating.

In case the controller 25 compares the temperature of the LED unit 26 with the preset temperature range and finds that the temperature of the LED unit 26 is higher than the temperature range, the controller 25 will generate another control signal and transmit the control signal to the power supply unit 28 to power on the fan 20. Under such circumstance, the fan 20 will be again turned on to operate. This can save energy.

According to the above arrangement, in comparison with the conventional device, the present invention has the following advantages:

-   -   1. The present invention has excellent heat dissipation effect.     -   2. The present invention is able to provide thermostatic effect         for the LED unit.     -   3. The present invention is applicable to various LED units with         different powers to provide corresponding wind intensity for         dissipating the heat.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. It is understood that many changes and modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is limited only by the appended claims. 

1. A thermostatic control LED thermal module comprising: at least one fan; a heat dissipation unit having a heat absorption section and a heat dissipation section, the heat absorption section being attached to an LED unit, the heat dissipation section being mated with the fan; a sensing unit disposed on the heat dissipation section and electrically connected to the LED unit for detecting the temperature of the LED unit and generating a sensing signal; and a controller disposed on one side of the heat dissipation unit and electrically connected to the fan and the sensing unit, whereby according to received sensing signal, the controller operates and processes to generate a control signal to control rotational speed of the fan.
 2. The thermostatic control LED thermal module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a power supply unit, the power supply unit being electrically connected to the controller and the fan, whereby the controller serves to generate another control signal and transmit the control signal to the power supply unit for powering on or powering off the fan.
 3. The thermostatic control LED thermal module as claimed in claim 1, wherein a support section is disposed between the heat dissipation unit and the fan, one side of the support section being inserted with the heat dissipation section, the fan being mated with the other side of the support section, the controller and the sensing unit being arranged on the other side of the support section.
 4. The thermostatic control LED thermal module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support section has multiple support members, each two adjacent support members defining therebetween a flow way for guiding the airflow of the fan to the heat dissipation section.
 5. The thermostatic control LED thermal module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is selected from a group consisting of a thermistor, a thermoelectric couple and a thermal chip.
 6. The thermostatic control LED thermal module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat dissipation unit is selected from a group consisting of an extruded aluminum heat sink and a radiating fin assembly. 